Adding Greens to Your Favorite Foods

A long day at the office. A stressful day with the kids. An unsatisfying lunch or lack thereof. Things like this lead us to search for our most favorite foods to make the day a little better. It’s hard to beat the pleasure of a cheesy slice of pizza or a warm gooey cookie, so who says these cravings can’t be healthy?

Feel as if that’s impossible? No worries! Start with following these few tips and tricks that we use to incorporate healthier options into our recipes. Try embracing whole-grain options, replacing butter with heart-healthy oil, and exploring lighter cheeses. Stuff your veggies where you can, don’t forget seasoning goes a long way, and learn where to make the right substitutions to get the nutrients your body needs. Before you know it, you’ll be implementing these easy changes into all of your recipes.

From our kitchen to yours, here are some recipes that have made our worst days better and our tummies a little fuller!

For all my Pizza Lovers

Barbeque Chicken Pizza with Mustard Green Pesto

A favorite meal that everyone is bound to love. Grab a bag of Nature’s Greens Mustard Greens, pick your favorite crust, and add just a few more toppings before letting this tasty pizza cook for 15 minutes. Whether you decide to share it or save it all for yourself is up to you!  

Check out the recipe!  

Mac & Cheese? Yes Please!

Collard Mac & Cheese

This go-to dish has all the same delicious ingredients plus one, collards! It only takes 10 minutes to cook and you can easily make this as a main course or a quick snack.  

We all know the cheesier the better so give it a try! View the full recipe.

Not Just a Tuesday Night Taco!

Buffalo Cauliflower Kale Tacos

Tuesdays may be taco night but this dish will have you craving them every day of the week. Grab a few tortillas, chop up some cauliflower, then add our Nature’s Greens Kale greens and a few other necessities for a yummy twist on a veggie-loving favorite.

 These tacos have all the right toppings. It’s up to you how hot you like it! Give it a try.

A Sweet Secret!

Hidden Kale Cookies

This is a sweet treat that you’ll want one too many of. This recipe calls for basic baking ingredients, a bag of our Nature’s Greens kale, and some grated carrots for a snack worth sharing!

Check out the full recipe!

We know you’re ready to get cooking so check out what Nature’s Greens products were used in these recipes below and join us on our website to find where these products are sold closest to you. Feel free to share these tasty dishes with your friends and family and leave us a few comments on what comfort foods we should transform next! Don’t forget to check us out on social media too for more tips, tricks, and recipes @naturesgreens!

5 Ways to Eat More Leafy Greens

These kitchen tricks will make preparing leafy greens SO much easier

If you're reading this, there's a strong chance you already know leafy greens are GOOD for you. But in case you or someone in your life (ahem) need a little reminder, kale, collards, turnips, and mustard greens are generally very low in calories. What they lack in calorific content, they make up for in terms of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. It's no wonder then that a diet rich in these nutrient-dense leafy greens helps to reduce the risk of obesity, heart disease, high-blood pressure, and mental decline, among other numerous health benefits. The healthy living journey starts with adding these life-saving ingredients to more of your meals, and attaining that goal is easier than you think with some smart meal prep tips.

Get Some Serious Salads

Salads are the easiest way to incorporate several servings of fruits and veggies into your diet. Be careful, however, as they are not necessarily synonymous with "health food." By avoiding anything fried, cooling it on the cheese, ditching the croutons, and dialing back the dressing, you have a better shot at ensuring that the salads you eat are, in fact, nutritious. Because eating salad once or twice a month isn't going to cut it, we've made it easy for you to get your weekly salad fix with our curated selection of salad recipes you can make from scratch in no time.

Learn more: Everything you need to find delicious salads for any occasion in one place!

Wrap it with Collards

Collards are the new wrap. Period. If you keep the collard stems on, they remain sturdy enough to work pretty much like a tortilla and hold your favorite sandwich or burrito fillings. They can also be stored in the refrigerator to make it easy to put together a quick lunch or dinner meal. Make it a combo by overlapping two to three leaves for a larger wrap, and get ready to crush your green-eating goals.

Try it: Protein Collard Wraps, 140 calories per serving, and only 30 minutes of prep time.

Blanch Like a Pro

Some nutrient-dense greens, including mustard greens, kale, and turnip greens, can have a slightly bitter flavor that doesn't appeal to every taste. We get it. But brace yourself for a true knowledge bomb: Most of that bitterness melts away when you wilt your greens in boiling water for a couple minutes, drain, and run cold tap water over them to cool quickly and fix their bright green color. You can then season or sauté your blanched greens, and enjoy them as a side or mix them straight into your dishes.

Try it: Sesame Ginger Collard Wrap, ready in less than 20 minutes!

Prepare to Be Inspired

A little bit of preparation goes a long way towards eating more wholesome, nutrient-dense foods. When you're prepping for the week ahead, get creative and consider replacing some traditional carbs with leafy greens you already have on-hand. In the unlikely scenario you won't use up all your greens before they expire, freeze them (fresh or blanched) in batches for a longer shelf life and some easy creations later in the week. Think quicker stir-fries, pastas, and soups that taste good. Really good.

Learn more: How to Use a 1 lb. Bag of Kale Before It Expires!

Smoothie Away

Smoothies are another great way to work more leafy greens into your diet, reduce food waste, AND get the little ones on board too. They are versatile enough to be enjoyed for breakfast, as a snack, or even as a dessert option. Plus, they come together super quickly, and we promise they will work some serious magic on both your brain and bod.

Just the tip: You can reduce the amount of liquids in any green smoothie recipe and pour your extra-thick creation into a bowl with sliced fruits, seeds, grains, and any other solid foods you like.

Three MYTHS About Fresh Produce During COVID-19 and What You Need To Know

The COVID-19 pandemic is taking its toll on everybody. The food supply chain is no exception.

People are buying non-perishable items and household items, like toilet paper, in large quantities—sometimes in excess. Fresh produce has seen an increase in purchases, but not at the same rate as the rest of the stores in most parts of the country.

We believe there are some MYTHS about fresh produce—and fresh leafy greens in particular—that we hope to dispel and encourage you to make fresh an ongoing priority in your buying decisions.

Myth 1: Fresh produce won’t keep long.

While it’s true that fresh produce is highly perishable, many fresh produce items have longer shelf lives than you may think. Here are some examples:

• Apples: up to 2 months in fridge

• Beets: up to 2 weeks in fridge

• Butternut: up to 6 months, in a cool dark place

• Cabbage: up to 4-5 weeks in fridge

• Citrus: up to 3-4 weeks in fridge

• Leafy Greens: up to 2 weeks in fridge

  source: Lindsey Janeiro, RDN: https://www.instagram.com/p/B9p4uzVJhft/

Solution: Use what you can, freeze the rest.

If you buy in bulk and you’re worried about wasting money, find ways to freeze items so that you can use them later.

For fresh dark leafy greens, consider making the following:

• Pesto pucks: blend together a pesto mix like this kale pesto, and freeze in pucks. Store in freezer safe bag.

• Smoothie pucks: blend a base mix of leafy greens and water; then freeze in pucks and store in a freezer safe bag.

• Blanching and freezing: blanche leafy greens for a few minutes by placing in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, then removing and placing in ice-bath. Finally, put in freezer safe bag with a cup of water or broth.

Myth 2: Fresh produce is currently a carrier of COVID-19.

According to United Fresh and PMA in a joint statement, “There are no clinically confirmed cases of COVID-19 linked to the consumption of fresh produce or food sold through traditional retail outlets. As consumers select their produce, adhering to food safety guidance is critical. We encourage consumers to wash their hands, and wash and prepare their produce following FDA recommendations.”

Solution: Steps to take to maintain caution.

1. Wash hands frequently, including after a trip to the grocery store;

2. Resist the urge to “manipulate” produce items on bulk displays, despite touching different items being a typical part of the selection process;

3. Avoid bulk produce if immune-compromised, choosing packaged produce as an added caution, or cook the produce before eating; and

4. Wash produce thoroughly.

   source: Scott Monroe, a Purdue University Extension food safety educator and Amanda Deering, an Extension specialist at Purdue University Department of Food Science: https://www.thepacker.com/article/no-reason-avoid-fresh-produce-during-outbreak

Myth 3: Fresh produce supply is in danger.

We are currently in the midst of a season change, and in particular, a change into warmer weather. This means that more growing land will become increasingly available to farmers across the country as temperatures warm up. There is currently an abundance of food and fresh produce in the food supply, and barring any severely drastic changes, the fresh produce food supply will remain strong.

Solution: Growers are taking all possible steps to make sure the food supply stays strong.

At WP Rawl, we are actively monitoring the situation daily. We are committed to continuing to grow, harvest, pack, and ship farm fresh leafy greens in the safest ways possible to keep our team members, our customer partners, our communities, and everyone who purchases our products as safe as possible through this.

• This includes additional cleaning actions in our office buildings, plants, and warehouses.

• Additional measures taken to limit chance of spread within our guest worker housing.

• Additional measures with our truck drivers abroad and with outside carriers arriving at our facilities.

Fresh produce farms are already highly trained in industry-best food safety practices. At WP Rawl, we’ve made food safety a top priority for decades. We will continue to make changes necessary to adapt to this dynamic situation, and we remain committed to our mission of providing fresh, wholesome vegetables from our family farm to you.

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If you have any questions or concerns about fresh leafy greens, please message us on Facebook @WPRawl or email us at info@rawl.net

*This is a developing situation. We are not experts or authorities on COVID-19 and are not claiming to be. Information shared in this blog post is subject to change as COVID-19 is a dynamic, ongoing situation. For up to date, exact information about current happenings and best practices with COVID-19, please visit (WHO) https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019, (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html, and (FDA) https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/mcm-issues/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19.

The Leafy Greens Party: Dedicated to Fresh

Uniting people with fresh leafy greens.

[Not a real political campaign]

We are for fresh leafy greens for all.

Most people know that fresh leafy greens are a great thing to add to your diet, but many people aren’t sure how to do that.

We take the confusion away through easy-to-make recipes plus bonus tips on everything from planning, preparing, selecting, and storing.

When you know more about leafy greens, you will feel more confident making them in your own kitchen.

There’s too much confusion.

Everywhere you look online, there’s some new study, some new diet, or some new way of doing something that seems to contradict another article you just read.

We exist to provide simple, practical information around topics like nutrition, fitness, mindful eating, and meal planning.

When you cut down on confusion, you make decisions with less stress and more confidence.

We need to celebrate.

There’s a lot in this world that could bring you down.

All of us need to actively remind ourselves of the good things going on each day.

We exist to bring out the good—especially the things we can all celebrate—so that we can keep forming bonds of unity.

We’ll celebrate improving our self-care routines, saving money and time in the grocery store, reminiscing family favorite dishes, and cherishing happy times with friends and family.

Let’s celebrate more.

Understanding what and why we eat.

Have you ever heard of mindful eating?

It’s a growing trend right now, and we want to provide the best, clearest information about it so that you can feel confident practicing it.

We exist to explore topics like understanding cravings, losing/gaining weight, and developing new eating habits.

While we will give information on these topics, we know that the information will not be for everybody—and that’s OK!

As we’ll explore this year, nutrition and eating really varies from one individual to the next.

We want to help you find the right tools that work well for you.

Introducing our candidates.

COLLARD ∙ KALE

It's not about getting it right, it's about getting better.

Our mission is to give you simple, practical information about self-care and grocery planning so that you can live your best life in this new decade. Together, we can learn new ways to meal plan, grocery shop, and store food — like leafy greens — to create more space and less waste.

MUSTARD ∙ TURNIP

To eat or not to eat?

This is a daily, nagging question for most people. We believe that mindful eating is a wonderful way any person can enjoy and celebrate food. Craving some leafy greens? Great! Want some of that apple pie? Fine by us! With a better understanding of your personal relationship with food, you will be more at peace & confident with what you eat, especially during the holidays.

Leafy Greens Election 2020

Keeping with our political spoof theme, we will be hosting an actual vote between Collard Kale and Mustard Turnip on October 20th, 2020.

Stay tuned for more details on why you will want to cast a vote!

Follow us @naturesgreens on Instagram for campaign updates!

Our purpose in doing this.

We love our country and we are thankful for the right to vote! What a privilege it is to farm and live in the United States. Our gratitude to military service members, government officials, and other agencies that do so much to provide this freedom is immense.

That being said, we don’t deny that the current political climate is tough. There is a lot of nasty back and forth, and we know that it can get tiresome and exhausting to keep up or care.

So, while we all practice democracy this year through our right to vote, we want to create a space that is lighthearted and adds value for you!

Smoothies On The Go!

When it comes to meals on the go it doesn’t get much easier than smoothies. The right smoothie can serve as a complete meal replacement, and you can even use meal prep techniques to create savvy shortcuts, so you can get out the door both quickly and healthfully.

 To craft a smoothie that mimics a meal, be sure to include veggies. One of the easiest and most nutritious is a generous handful of ready-to-eat bagged kale. Next, choose a protein source. If you dislike protein powders, opt for almond flour, which is a pulverized form of this whole plant food. A quarter cup provides 8 grams of protein, and an almost equivalent amount of heart healthy fat. Next up is fruit. I like to use a combination of frozen blueberries and a few pre-soaked dates. Dates provide natural sweetness, bundled with antioxidants, fiber, and key nutrients, like potassium, which supports healthy blood pressure and heart function, muscle contractions, prevents muscle cramps, and helps maintain muscle mass.

Here’s a smart smoothie trick. The pigments in greens and berries are both beautiful on their own, but they tend to clash when combined, to create an unappetizing, dull color. To brighten up your smoothie, add a peeled raw baby beet. Beet pigments overpower greens, which results in a bright, gorgeous hue. Fresh beets also add bonus nutrients, including folate, which is needed for healing and mental health, and magnesium, which improves mood and sleep. Finally, sprinkle in some all natural, anti-inflammatory seasonings, like fresh ginger root and a combo of ground turmeric and black pepper. Now your smoothie contains all of the puzzle pieces found in a well, balanced meal. The result: a quick and simple dish you can take with you and easily sip, that will leave you feeling full, satisfied, and energized for hours. 

 To plan ahead, take some time on the weekend to create smoothie kits. Gather about five freezer safe containers. If you crave variety, mimic the above formula to create mix and match combinations that include different foods from the same food groups. For example, instead of blueberries use frozen cherries, banana, or a chopped green apple, choose collard greens in place of kale, chickpea flour or sprouted pumpkin seeds instead of almond flour, cinnamon rather than ginger, etc. Fill each container with all of the ingredients that go into one smoothie except for the liquid. Seal and stash in the freezer. When you’re ready, simply grab a container, transfer the contents into your blender, add water or nut milk, blend, and you’re ready to go!          

 A smoothie can replace breakfast, lunch, or dinner. And pre-prepping the ingredients in advance is a savvy way to ensure that in a pinch you’ll have a healthy, well-balanced meal in your hands in mere minutes.  Give it a try, and let us know what you think. We’d love to hear about your favorite combinations, and how smoothie meals make you feel!

Find the recipe for Cynthia’s Make Ahead Superfood Meal Replacement Smoothie HERE!

The Reasons Why People Are Choosing A Gluten-Free Lifestyle

If you are like us, you might be a little confused at what you can and can't eat these days. Is there a healthier way to eat and live? Are there tangible benefits to living a certain lifestyle? In 2018 we are going to explore these questions, specifically as it relates to gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian lifestyles, and provide recipes that you can use for each of them. Let's dive into our first topic: gluten-free.

(Exclusive gluten-free recipes at the bottom of the post!)

The basics

Gluten-free is one of the trendiest lifestyles and dietary changes being made currently. You cannot go into a grocery store or a restaurant now that doesn't have a gluten-free section or offering in the aisle or menu, respectively. So why is it so popular? 

First, we need to know the answer to the question: what is gluten? According to the Mayo Clinic, gluten is protein found in grains such as wheat, rye, barley, and a hybrid of wheat and rye called triticale. Essentially, gluten gives dough its elasticity and helps hold it together while it is being made. Now that we know what gluten is we can move onto the next pressing question: why is it bad for some people?

The bad

Our bodies’ immune systems function something like this: recognize the difference between what belongs and what is foreign, then attack the foreign. However, many people suffer from autoimmune diseases. One such autoimmune disease is "celiac disease" (CD), caused by consuming gluten. Advocacy group Beyond Celiac states that about 1% of the US population has celiac disease. 

"Celiac disease is a condition in which gluten triggers immune system activity that damages the lining of the small intestine. Over time this damage prevents the absorption of nutrients from food." -- Mayo Clinic Staff

Clearly, people that suffer from celiac disease need to avoid gluten. However, what about people that do not have celiac disease? Why are they opting for gluten-free?

Gluten Intolerance vs. Gluten Sensitivity vs. Wheat Allergy

The Gluten Intolerance Group explain the three most common diagnoses and what they each mean. Gluten intolerance is diagnosed as celiac disease. The only way to treat celiac disease is to practice a 100% gluten-free diet. Gluten sensitivity, or non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), is hard to diagnose as it shares many of the same characteristics of celiac disease and there is no true test developed yet. The only way to identify it is to rule out an autoimmune reaction and a wheat allergy. Finally, a wheat allergy is specific to a rejection of a protein found in wheat, but other gluten from non-wheat sources is okay to eat.

What foods can I eat if I am gluten intolerant or have a gluten sensitivity?

Several different organizations list the foods that you can and cannot eat. We will assemble the highlights here, but if you have a gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity, you need to do comprehensive research as well as consult with your doctor on an appropriate diet.

1. Allowed fresh foods

• Fruits and vegetables
• Beans, seeds and nuts in their natural, unprocessed forms
• Eggs
• Lean, nonprocessed meats, fish and poultry
• Most low-fat dairy products

1. Avoid all food and drinks that contain the following

• Wheat
• Barley
• Rye
• Triticale
• Oats (in some cases)

(From the Mayo Clinic Staff)

Gluten-free alternatives

• Amaranth
• Brown, white and wild rice
• Buckwheat
• Almond meal flour
• Coconut flour
• Corn
• Cornstarch
• Guar gum
• Millet
• Pea flour
• Potato flour
• Potatoes
• Quinoa
• Sorghum
• Soy flour
• Teff

(From Beyond Celiac)

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Another great source for information and recipes is The Gluten-Free Goddess' blog. Karina Allrich writes about what she knows from her own life experience, shares practical ways to live gluten-free, and many tasty recipes.

I am not Gluten Sensitive but I think going gluten-free will improve my health

This is a hot topic right now, as an increasing rate of people who do not have a gluten intolerance are opting to go gluten-free. Among the biggest drivers is a growing suspicion on the potential adverse health affects of consuming gluten. If you do believe that you are suffering from a gluten intolerance, you should consult with a doctor and be tested. Always consult with a medical professional before making significant lifestyle changes. 

Adding fruits and veggies to your meals on a gluten-free diet

As you may know, fruits and veggies are really good for you. They have amazing nutritional properties that our body systems need daily to function. Another great thing about produce: its naturally gluten-free. Regardless of the lifestyle you choose to live, it's probably a good idea to keep fresh fruits and vegetables as a fixture in your diet.

White Bean Kale Cauliflower Casserole

Let's face it. It can be a challenge to get our friends or family to get on the gluten-free train with us. However, serve this delicious recipe from registered dietitian and best-selling author, Cynthia Sass, and your loved ones will be clamoring for more yummy dishes from you! Featuring fresh kale, cauliflower, lemon juice + zest, tahini, and white beans. Estimated prep + bake time is 35 minutes.

Click Here for the Recipe!

Pinto Bean and Collard Omelet

A Tex-Mex omelet recipe from Cynthia Sass, RD and best-selling author, is full of that southwest flavor you crave. The best part? When you make this for breakfast or brinner ( breakfast for dinner), you are giving your body an excellent source of protein. Also, those veggies aren't in their just for their color. The nutrients found between those veggies will add a healthy portion to your daily needs, and give your body the tools it needs to support itself.

Click Here for the Recipe!

Let's Get Together!

For many people fall is the start of an indulgent eating season that begins with Halloween treats, and continues straight through New Year’s Eve. But autumn is also a perfect time to take advantage of the abundance of healthy fare that makes this season special. A few of my favorites are apples, pumpkins, and greens.

Source: WP Rawl

Fresh, seasonal chopped apples can be whipped into a smoothie, or added to cinnamon oatmeal. Stir finely chopped apples into pancake batter, enjoy them sliced, dipped into almond butter, or sauté apples in lemon water, along with ginger, topped with a crumble made from oats, almond butter, maple syrup, and apple pie spice. Fresh sliced apples make a delicious addition to entrée salads, cooked cabbage, and stir frys. Shredded apple can also be folded into burger patties or meatloaf recipes. And for a healthy treat, try my recipe for kale and raisin stuffed slow cooker apples. 

Source: WP Rawl

After carving a fresh pumpkin, the roasted seeds make a healthy snack, or topping for cooked veggies, salads, fish, beans, and lentils. Fresh roasted pumpkin flesh, seasoned with coconut oil, maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice, also makes a nutritious, satisfying side dish. And unsweetened canned pumpkin makes a perfect addition to smoothies, oatmeal, hummus, or chili.     

Greens, a year round superfood, come to life in all new ways this season. Try my recipe for super green party dip, and a variety of fresh and cooked dishes, from coconut collard crisps, to lentil, yam and kale stew, and salmon mustard greens salad. Give your green smoothie some fall flare by blending kale with ingredients like ripe pear, ginger, and maple syrup.

Source: WP Rawl

Make healthy eating a priority this fall, and you’ll be able to enjoy your favorite can’t-live-without splurges, without compromising your health or packing on any unwanted seasonal pounds.

Traveling Greens: Helpful Tips to Store Green Meals on the Go

Ever feel like your snacks while traveling are just plain old junk?  With summer approaching, we look ahead at convenient ways to store greens on-the-go.  Out with the chips and in with the green.  Keep your nutrition on point while out and about and you won’t miss a beat.  Here are five ways to bring your greens with you:

1.       Make your green meals ahead of time and put them in a storage container.  Here is a great salad to make for your next travel day that will get you on the Mason jar trend!

2.      Double your batch of smoothies to store as a good morning or afternoon snack.  Put it in the freezer at work for those 3 pm hunger pangs or in a cooler in your car.  Find our many smoothie recipes here!

3. Got a flight to catch?  Worried about eating peanuts, pretzels, and snack boxes?  Try packing good-for-you snacks for your flight that will keep you energized and your nutrition in shape.  Slice up some goodies that can last outside of the refrigerator like bell peppers, cucumbers, or fresh fruit.  Almonds and kale chips are also a good option.  Pack them in your carry-on and enjoy your flight.

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/xlibber/4676723312

4. Going to the beach or park?  Pack your cooler with tasty and healthy summer treats.  Opt for fresh fruit and chilled lean proteins.  You can even make this easy salad ahead of time to keep in the cooler.

5. Whether you are prepping for the work week or your meals for a trip, this is the most effective way to keep your nutrition on point.  Check out companies like Fuel Food for inspiration on how to make and what to put in your meal kit.  We've made it easy for you to prep your meals.  Just follow the steps below!